Samwise CFL Newsletter
Sunday, May 10, 2026
Nine CFL Clubs Open Training Camp as 2026 Season Preparations Begin
All nine Canadian Football League franchises opened 2026 training camps on Sunday, marking the official start of preparations for a season that kicks off June 4 at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton. The Montreal Alouettes travel to face the Tiger-Cats in the league opener, while the defending Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Roughriders open at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon. Chad Kelly, who missed the entire 2025 season recovering from a broken leg suffered in the 2024 Eastern Final, opens camp as the expected Toronto Argonauts starter, with new head coach Mike Miller confident in the quarterback’s readiness. Preseason action begins May 18 when Saskatchewan visits Calgary.
Sources: TSN, GX94 Radio / The Canadian Press
Defending Roughriders Enter 2026 Camp with Open Battles at Backup QB, Kicker, Receiver
The defending Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Roughriders opened training camp Sunday with starter Trevor Harris firmly entrenched at quarterback but several key positions still open. Notable competitions include: backup quarterback, where Jack Coan has an early edge; defensive end, where Aaron Patrick and Chico Bennett Jr. are expected to compete; kicker, where Michael Hughes and Jonathan Kim staged a pressure-filled field-goal battle during rookie camp; and receiver, where the departures of nationals Tommy Nield and Ajou Ajou create genuine openings. Five starters in the secondary return, including Marcus Sayles, Rolan Milligan Jr., Nelson Lokombo, DaMarcus Fields, and all-star Canadian Tevaughn Campbell.
Sources: 3DownNation, 650 CKOM
Roughriders Carry Grey Cup Chemistry into 2026 as Familiar Offensive Core Returns
The Saskatchewan Roughriders open 2026 training camp as defending Grey Cup champions with most of last year’s offence returning, giving head coach Corey Mace a continuity advantage. Quarterback Trevor Harris, whose performance carried Saskatchewan to the 112th Grey Cup title in November, returns as starter. Running back Darrell Henderson Jr., the former Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl champion who signed with the Riders in February, enters his first full camp in green. The team did lose national receivers Tommy Nield and Ajou Ajou to free agency, and younger Canadians will compete through camp and the May 18 preseason opener at Calgary to claim those vacated spots.
Argonauts Open 2026 Camp Betting on Kelly’s Return and Healthy Roster to Reverse 5–13 Slide
The Toronto Argonauts finished 5–13 in 2025, second-worst in the CFL, after a broken leg ended quarterback Chad Kelly’s season in the Eastern Final and exposed the team’s lack of depth. Now, with Kelly, receiver Damonte Coxie, and offensive lineman Ryan Hunter all healthy heading into camp, the Argonauts believe last year’s result did not reflect the roster’s ceiling. New head coach Mike Miller takes over with a mandate to return a franchise that won two of the previous three Grey Cups to contention. Kelly, 32, told reporters he feels ready to play, and Miller confirmed the expectation is that Kelly starts the 2026 regular-season opener June 4.
Sources: TSN
Blue Bombers Carry Upgraded Roster into 2026 Camp After Aggressive CFL Free-Agency Haul
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers opened full training camp Sunday at Princess Auto Stadium with a substantially rebuilt roster following one of the more active CFL free-agency winters. The club added offensive tackle Jarell Broxton, defensive lineman Jake Ceresna, receivers Tim White and Tommy Nield, cornerback Jonathan Moxey, and linebacker Jovan Santos–Knox, upgrading both sides of the line and the receiving corps. Quarterback Zach Collaros returns as starter, while the team added depth at quarterback including former UFL MVP Bryce Perkins and Canadian rookie Taylor Elgersma, who drew early attention during rookie camp with his arm strength and composure in the pocket.
Sources: Winnipeg Blue Bombers, TSN
B.C. Lions Cut Canadian Lineman Connor Klassen and Nine Others in Camp Reduction
The British Columbia Lions released Canadian offensive lineman Connor Klassen and nine other players on Saturday, the first major roster cutdown ahead of Sunday’s full training camp opening. Klassen, a 24-year-old from Big River, Saskatchewan, was a fourth-round pick of the Lions in the 2025 CFL Draft but was released during last year’s camp with an injury before re-signing in November. The Lions also released wide receiver Jared Gipson and defensive back Jamorri Colson in the same transaction batch. The cuts leave B.C. working toward the league-mandated 85-player maximum roster limit, excluding non-counters, that all nine clubs were required to reach by Saturday night.
Sources: 3DownNation
All Nine CFL Teams Meet 85-Player Roster Limit in First Training Camp Cutdown
All nine Canadian Football League clubs met the league-mandated deadline of 11:59 p.m. local time Saturday to reduce rosters to 85 players, excluding non-counters, in the first training camp cutdown of 2026. Several players were placed on the injured-veterans list and six-game injured list across the league. The Montreal Alouettes and Ottawa Redblacks also saw transaction activity alongside the cuts, while teams across both divisions managed their import and non-import player ratios ahead of Sunday’s full-squad practices. The first cutdown is the clearest early signal of each team’s current depth at every position before preseason games begin May 18.
Sources: CFL.ca
2025 Final Standings
Eastern Division — 2026 season opens June 4
1. Hamilton Tiger-Cats — 22 pts (11-7-0)
2. Montreal Alouettes — 20 pts (10-8-0)
3. Toronto Argonauts — 10 pts (5-13-0)
4. Ottawa Redblacks — 8 pts (4-14-0)
2025 Final Standings
Western Division — Grey Cup: Sask. 25, Mtl. 17
1. Saskatchewan Roughriders — 24 pts (12-6-0) *
2. BC Lions — 22 pts (11-7-0)
3. Calgary Stampeders — 22 pts (11-7-0)
4. Winnipeg Blue Bombers — 20 pts (10-8-0)
5. Edmonton Elks — 14 pts (7-11-0)
* Grey Cup Champions
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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